Steering-truck for traction-engines.



J. J. MATHEY & W I. BINARD. STEERING TRUCK POE TRAG-IION ENGINES.APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINGTON. D. c.

J. J. MATHEY & W. J. BINARD. STEERING TRUCK FOR TRACTION ENGINES.APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1913. 1 092 375 7 Patented Apr.-7, 1914.

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JOHN J'. MATHEY AND WILLIAM J. BINARD, OF WHITE LAKE, SOUTH DAKOTA.

STEERING-TRUCK FOR TRACTION-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. *7, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN J. MATHEY and WILLIAM J. BINARD, citizens ofthe United States, residing at lVhite Lake, in the county of Aurora andState of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Steering-Trucks for Traction-Engines, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved steering truck for tractionengines and the like and has for its primary object to provide improvedmeans for preventing the truck wheels being thrown out of the furrow byencountering obstructions or hollows therein.

The invention has for a further object the provision in a device of thischaracter, of a vertically disposed steering shaft, a truck axlepivotally mounted on the lower end thereof, a flexible steeringconnection with the upper end of said shaft, and means mounted upon theshaft and connected to the truck axle for automatically returning thetruck wheels to their normal positions when the same are thrown out ofthe furrow, thereby relieving the operator of the necessity of actuatingthe flexible steering connection.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of adevice for the above purpose which is simple and durable in itsconstruction, may be produced at small manufacturing cost and is highlyeflicient and reliable in practical use.

"With the above and other objects in view as will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions,combinations and arrangements of the parts that we shall hereinafterfully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is atop plan view illustrating the forward wheel carrying axle of a tractionengine, and the tongue and our improved steering truck mounted upon saidtongue; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the rear end of the tongueshowingthe adjusting means therefor; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thesteering truck; Fig. 1 is a section taken on the line 41 of Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5

designates the forward wheel supporting axle of a tract-ion engine orsimilar machine and 6 indicates the wheels revolubly mounted upon theends thereof. A forwardly extending supporting member 7 is centrallypivoted to the axle 5 and upon the same, the steering rod or bar 8connected to the knuckles of the traction wheels is pivotally mounted.Upon the forward end of the supporting member 7 a transversely disposedbar or plate 9 is pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends, the endsof said bar being upwardly bent or flanged as indicated at 10, andprovided with openings to receive a bolt or rod 11. This rod extendsthrough an opening in the rear end of the tongue or pole 12 and toopposite ends of said rod, the rear ends of the brace bars 13 areconnected, the forward ends of said bars being fixed to opposite sidesof the tongue 12 as shown. In the bar or plate 9, adjacent to oppositeends thereof, the depending eyebolts 14: are mounted to which the rods15 are connected. Similar rods 16 are loosely connected to the boltsfixed in the supporting members 7. The rods 15 and 16 are threaded inreverse directions upon their opposed ends and connected by means of theturn buckles 17. It is obvious that by simply adjusting these turnbuckles, the plate 9 may be moved upon the forward end of the supportingmember 7 and the tongue or pole 12 turned to one side or the other ofthe longitudinal center of the machine.

Upon the forward end of the tongue or pole 12, a vertically disposedbearing sleeve 18 is secured in any preferred manner and in this sleeve,the steering shaft 19 is mounted to rotate. Upon the upper end of thisshaft, the wheel 20 is fixed, said wheel having a peripheral groove toreceive the flexible steering rope 21. To the lower end of the steeringshaft 19, a bifurcated member 22 is secured, the arms ofv said memberbeing loosely mounted upon a bolt 23 which 1s fixed in the ears 25formed upon the ends of a plate 24:. This plate is loosely mounted atits center upon astud bolt 26 which is fixed to a plate 27 carried bythe Wheel supporting axle 28. Clip bolts 29 secure the plate 27 to saidaxle. Upon opposite ends of the axle 28, the truck wheels 30 arerevolubly mounted. By connecting the truck axle to the lower end of thesteering shaft 19 in the manner above described, it will be seen thatthe same may be tilted transversely with relation to the supportingtongue or pole 12 so that the truck will operate efliciently upon ahillside.

To the steering wheel 20, a radially disposed arm 31 is fixed at itsinner end. The outer end portion of this arm which projects beyond theperiphery .of the steering wheel is yieldable and has a dependingterminal 32-provided with a series of spaced openings 33. To the truckaxle 28, a plate 34 is secured, said plate being provided with anopening to receive one end of a connecting rod 35, the other end ofwhich is adapted to pass through one of the openings in the dependingouter end of the arm 31. Suitable nuts may be threaded upon the ends ofthis rod 35 to retain the same in connect-ion with said arm and theplate 34.

Upon the pole or tongue 12, adjacent its rear end, and the brace rods13, a transverse plate 36 is secured by means of the clip bolts 37. Uponthe opposite ends of this plate, the supporting brackets 38 are securedby said clip bolts and rollers 39 are mounted upon a rod 40 whichconnects the upper ends of the bracket plates. Similar rollers 41 aremounted upon the rod 11 which connects the ends of the plate 9. Withthese rollers, the steering rope or cable 21 engages, said ropeextending over the rollers 39 and under the rollers 41. From theselatter rollers, the steering rope extends rearwardly over the guiderollers 42 which are suitably mounted on a plate 43, said plate beingfixed at its ends to the axle 5. From these rollers, the steering ropepasses around a drum 44 mounted upon the body of the vehicle andactuated in any preferred manner.

From th foregoing, it is believed that the construction and manner ofoperation of our invention will be clearly and fully understood. Afterthe operator has properly positioned the tongue 12 by adjusting the turnbuckles 17 so as to engage one of the wheels of the truck in the furrow,the drum 44 whereby the steering connection 21 is operated is locked.The attention of the operator to the steering of the machine is now nolonger necessary as the truck wheel will be automatically held in itsposition in the furrow. It will be obvious that should the wheel strikean obstruction, to cause the truck axle 28 to swing upon the lower endof the steering shaft so that the wheel will move out of the furrow, theresilient or yieldable arm 31 which is fixed to the steering wheel 20,will be tensioned in such movement and in returning to its normalcondition will also return the truck wheel to the furrow through themedium of the connecting rod 35 between said arm and the plate 34 whichis fixed to the truck axle. It will thus be seen that the truck wheelwill be at all times maintained in position in the furrow have producedan improved steering truck for traction engines and the like which isextremely simple in its construction, may be produced at smallmanufacturing cost and is very reliable and eflicient in actualoperation. By means of our invention, the operator is relieved ofconsiderable work now required in the proper steering of the vehicle sothat he can give his undivided attention to the operation of the latter.

It will of course be obvious that our invention is susceptible of agreat many modifications in the form, proportion and ar rangement of theminor details and we reserve the right to resort to such legitimatechanges as may fairly fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed is:

1. A steering truck for traction engines and the like comprising avertically disposed steering shaft, a truck axle swiveled upon the lowerend of said shaft for pivotal move ment in two directions, supportingwheels mounted upon the ends of said axle, a radially disposed yieldablearm fixed to the upper end of the steering shaft provided with aplurality of openings, and a rod connected to the truck axle at one ofits ends and adapted for adjustable engagement at its other end in theopenings of said arm to yieldingly hold the axle against movement withrelation to the steering shaft.

2. A steering truck for traction engines and the like comprisingavertically disposed shaft, a truck axle swiveled upon the lower end ofsaid shaft for pivotal movement in two directions, supporting wheelsmounted in the ends of said axle, a steering wheel fixed to the upperend of the shaft, a radially disposed yieldable arm secured to saidwheel and projecting beyond the periphery thereof, said arm having adepending outer terminal provided with a series of openings, and a rodconnected at one end to the axle and adapted for adjustable engagementat its other end in the openings of said arm to hold the truck axleagainst pivotal movement with relation to the steering shaft.

3. The combination with a traction engine or the like, of a supportextending forwardly from the front axle of said engine, a transverselydisposed bar pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends, upon saidsupport, a tongue mounted at its rear end upon said bar, a trucksupporting the forward end of said tongue, rods attached to the oppositeends of said bar, additional rods attached to said support, the opposedends of the rods connected to thebar and support being oppooursignatures in the presence of two witsitely threaded, and turn bucklesconnecting nesses. the opposed rods to adjust the bar upon the JOHN J.MATHEY.

support and swing the tongue to position the WILLIAM J. BINARD. 5 truckwheels with relation to the traction Witnesses:

wheels. P. MATHEY,

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix PETER THILTGEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

